Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-24

been my lot to encounter. The glass had
been jumping abor as if it had st. Vitus'
dance. The ole man had foreseen the gale
which broke on US from the sou'west, and
we had everything snug when the first blast
struck us and heeled us over till the water
poured down the companion way. Luckily
we had brand new topsails and trysails, or
the devil himself could not have saved us.
'sWe were lying up to the wind pretty
steadily when eight bells struck at midnight
and the mate got ready to go below. Poor
fellow! he never got below by himself, but
had to be carried theirs, for sudden 1urch
to 1eeward threw MIN across the poop deck,
and at the same moment the spanker boom
was carried away from the mast and fell
across his chest. When we picked him up
he was senseless, we carried him down be-
low and brought him around with some
brandy. But he was a dying man and he
knew it. Tell the old man to come here,' he
said, and the captain was brought alongside.
Captain he said, in hoarse whisper, while
every now and then the yelling blood choked
his utterance, 4 have confession to make.
I was afraid to make it before, and it has
rendered my life burden to me. Three
years ago, captain, shipped before the mast
in the Marietta, a brig of New Orleans,
bound with cotton for Liverpool. I forgot
the old mans name, but the mate was named
Roberts and he was brute. Hardly had the
ship left harbor before he commenced to ILL
treat the men, but terrible punishment was
to oyertake him. We had been out six days,
the weather was fine, and I had the first
wheel in the afternoon watch. The stores
were to be given out that afternoon, and at
two bells saw man coming aft with some
kids in his hand to get the stores. In a
quarter of an hour he returned carrying a
kid of molasses. AS he came out of the
BOBBY hatch the captains dog, snarling lit
tie cur, bit him on the leg and he fell, spill
the fha TIo To-
the accident, and going deliberately up to
the man, kicked him in the face and the
poor wretch rolled over senseless. The in
human mate was not punished, however.
He raised the prostrate mans head up and
laid it on the overturned kid. Then getting
astride the man he raised his foot and kicked
the poor wretch beneath the nose, tearing the
nostrils clean off. He then set the dog On
the man.
ts'The mate laughed. tsTake him for
ward, could hear him say to the men who
were gathered round lingering their knives
in threatening manner. They lifted their
wounded, ssnseless cemrade and took him
forward as the mate went below. He pres
emily returned and proceeded to take the
sun. He stood abaft the main rigging on
the port side. He raised the sextant and
looked intently at the glowing sun. I saw
the men consulting together and then one
stepped forward. He was a big, brawny
the mate and brought the iron bar down
with crushing force upon his head, dashing
his brains out with the force of the blow.
The other men rushed aft, picked up the
body and dropped it overheard with the sex
tsnt. few buckets of water washed away
all evidence of the crime and the men re-
sumed work.
"'At four bells the old man came on deck
and looked around for the mate, but not see
ing him went below again. In the mean
time was relieved. went forward. "Did
you see anything" asked the collier. "No,"
answered II am glad of it, was the re.
ply, "for there's more beavers in the ship" "
Passing by the main rigging looked over;
blood and brain bespattered the chain
plates. I drew bucket of water and
washed it off.
"'I had scarcely finished when the skip
per came on deck again very much excl
ted ''Who's seen the mateP' he asked.
No one had. The ship was searched, but
no mate was found and at last the search
was given up, the captain concluding that
his chief officer had fallen overheard
though how was a mystery.
"'We arrived in Liverpool all safe, the
second mate acting as first and the boat
swain as second officer. The tragic story
was never told and 1 have lived in hell
ever since
s'The excitement which had kept the
| mate up now failed him and he fell back
on the table with the death rattle in his
throat. And there, amid the shrieking of
the wind and the groaning of the vessel,
the poor fellow died, the little oil lamp
casting weird light on his pale, convulsed
features.
"There, sir" concluded the mate, "was
q crime which was never avenged, for
| though we laid the facts before the proper
officials in Liverpool, the murderer was
| never discovered. Yes, sir, the sea has
| many mysteries"